- The National Water Company of Senegal (SONES) and the National Electricity Company of Senegal (SENELEC) have signed Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) to establish a desalination facility and natural gas power plant.
ACWA Power, SONES and SENELEC signed the MoUs in the presence of Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal; Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Falih, Minister of Investment; and Fahd bin Ali Al-Dosary, the Saudi Ambassador to Senegal.
In close collaboration with SONES, ACWA Power will oversee the development of a 300,000 m3/d seawater reverse osmosis plant (SWRO) in Grande Côte. Located approximately 40km north-east of Dakar, Senegal’s capital, the SWRO development will serve as the first desalination project in the country facilitated on a public-private partnership basis. It would also be the largest desalination project of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
The second MoU announced will see ACWA Power working closely with SENELEC to develop a Combined Cycle Gas-Turbine (CCGT) plant in Cap des Biches with an initial design capacity of 160MW. In line with Senegal’s Gas-to-Power strategy, which aims to increase the country’s energy independence, reduce the cost of electricity and provide universal access to electricity, the development of the new facility will assist the country’s efforts to reduce its GHG emissions by at least 23% by 2030.
“The signing of these agreements between the Saudi Group ACWA Power and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, on behalf of Senegal, is in anticipation of rapid demographic growth and consumer demand in the Dakar-Mbour-Thies triangle, which represents over 5 million consumers. The agreement we have just signed is above all an essential step taken in response to the demand for drinking water within the framework of the Plan Sénégal Émergent (PSE).
“Furthermore, this first PPP experience will have no impact on water prices. Last but not least, this partnership framework is a testimony of the strong cooperation ties between Saudi Arabia and Senegal and represents an opportunity for the local private sector through the creation of a Senegalese company operating under Senegalese law,” said Charles Fall, SONES Managing Director.
Clive Turton, Chief Investment Officer of ACWA Power said they were honoured to contribute towards the strengthening of ties between Saudi Arabia and Senegal. “In line with our mandate to provide reliable delivery of power and desalinated water, ACWA Power is leveraging its global expertise to support the nation’s sustainable and socio-economic development for years to come.
Author: Nomvuyo Tena
Nomvuyo Tena is a Content Producer at Vuka Group and is as passionate about the energy transition in Africa as she is about music and Beyonce.
This article was originally published on ESI Africa and is republished with permission with minor editorial changes.
